“Mads, I’m not going anywhere. I didn’t choose you because you’re easy. I chose you because you’re you. And I sure as hell won’t walk away because of your parents. I will handle this.”
He cups the back of my head and leans his face closer to mine. “If they come for Wes, they’ll have to go through me first.”
Jesse pulls me into his chest, and I let him, sinking into the warmth of him. “It’s going to be okay.”
THIRTY
Jesse
I close Ford’s office door behind me and lock it. Ford’s brow lifts. “Well. That’s never good.”
He’s sitting behind his desk, Wes and Noah are in the chairs across from him. All three are looking at me. The office feels like a pressure cooker.
“So,” Ford continues. “What’s up? Why did you tell us to meet you here?”
I scrub a hand through my hair. “Before anything else, you should know that Madeline and I are together. Officially.”
None of them look surprised. “I hate to be the one to break it to you, but it was obvious from the photo of you two on your lock screen,” Noah says with a smirk.
I take a breath and then drop the rest. “Okay. I need you all to know what’s going on,” I say, looking between them. “And Wes, I’m fucking sorry in advance.”
He sits forward in his chair, nodding. “Noted. What the hell is happening?”
“Madeline’s family is wealthy. Not just wealthy. Her dad is a senator, he’s very connected and powerful too. They havethis…plan for her, for her life. And it definitely doesn’t involve me. Anyways, her mom showed up yesterday with an ultimatum for her. Do what they say or there will be consequences. Wes, they’re threatening to go to the press with what happened to you senior year.”
The entire room goes still. Wes doesn’t move. Doesn’t jump out of his chair. Doesn’t pace or swear. He just sits there, staring at some fixed point out the window, tension rolling through every inch of him.
Ford straightens behind the desk, fury flashing through his expression. “How?”
“Her dad has people,” I say. “Diggers. Strategists. Whatever the hell you call them. They went looking, and they found it.”
“Jesus Christ,” Noah mutters.
I swallow hard. “They told Madeline they’ll leak it unless she goes to some event with a future senator who they’re trying to set her up with. Total political power-play matchmaking bullshit.”
Ford laughs, but there’s no humor in it. “Are you fucking kidding me?”
“I wish I was.”
“Do they know that you’re a self-made millionaire? She’s not exactly throwing her life away on you.”
“They don’t care. They want her with a future prime minister.” I roll my eyes. “Someone who will carry on their political dynasty. It doesn’t matter to them if she’s miserable.”
Noah shakes his head. “God forbid she dates someone who actually gives a shit about her. These people are psychotic.”
Ford’s jaw tightens. “Back to Wes. What exactly do they know?”
“I’m not sure. Madeline doesn’t know. But her mom said they have something on Wes, and it’s pretty clear what that must be.”
“And they’re willing to use it?” Noah asks. “After all these years?”
Wes finally turns around. He looks remarkably calm. “I knew it would come back eventually.”
“There’s no fucking way in hell any of us are going to allow this to hit the light of day,” Noah snaps. “We’ve got your back. We’ll figure this out.”
“And what if you can’t?”
Ford shakes his head. “Wes, whatever happened then—whatever they think they can use—it’s not who you are now.”
